Development Robin Orins third in Paris-Roubaix U23

He also finished third last year, with Tijl De Decker as a winner and the other four Lotto Dstny U23 riders all within the top 20. A dream edition. Robin Orins (22) came back to win. "Not for myself, but for Tijl," he says. "I had him in mind throughout the whole race. Victory was within reach... until those other two passed me just 150 meters before the finish line." 

"Everything was going perfectly. I felt incredibly strong. At 95 kilometers from the end, we had actually agreed to try to break away, and we succeeded. Although we didn't have anyone from the team in the first group, which wasn't ideal, but on the Camphin-en-Pévèle sector, I made a move myself." 

With success, as Orins was able to create a gap of over half a minute 17 kilometers from the finish. Tim Torn Teutenberg (Lidl-Trek Future Racing) and Robert Donaldson (Trinity Racing) joined him. "When I saw Teutenberg, I immediately knew: riding to the finish with him is not an option. He's fast, so I had to try to drop him earlier. When we entered the track, I tried, but there wasn't enough left in my legs. With 150 meters to go, they both passed me, and I finished third. Again. That's not why I came to Roubaix... This is tough, I wanted it so badly." 

Picture: Maxime Van der Wielen